Six Words: Ethics, Ideology, Retreat, Panel, Intermediate, Velvet
It is usually wise to treat discussions about politics with velvet gloves. Not everyone may share your sense of ethics or ideology. Fruitful discussions try to find intermediate positions if there are differing opinions, because the more someone is forced to defend a position, the harder it is to retreat from that position. The most interesting discussions may involve a panel with differing points of view, such as whether sharks or batteries are more dangerous, and not even a skilled moderator can always keep things on topic.